Comprehending Nightguards
Nightguards, alternatively referred to as dental guards or mouth guards, are oral devices designed to counteract the possible consequences of teeth grinding. Typically, these devices are crafted from a robust clear plastic known as acrylic resin, and they can be either soft or hard. Your dentist will likely suggest that you wear the nightguard on your upper front teeth to stop them from touching the lower front teeth during sleep. If teeth grinding is severe, a dental guard might be prescribed for the lower teeth. Besides offering protection, mouthguards also serve to cushion the jaw muscles.
Benefits of Using Night Guards for Teeth Grinding
People often grind their teeth unconsciously and involuntarily when they're angry, stressed, or anxious, either during the day (daytime bruxism) or while sleeping (nighttime bruxism). This habit can be detrimental to oral health. To safeguard your teeth, your dentist might recommend a nightguard in addition to any prescribed anxiety treatments like medication or therapy.
While nightguards don't halt teeth grinding, regular use can help prevent damage to fillings, chipping or loosening of teeth, and excessive wear of tooth enamel. Furthermore, a nightguard could enhance your sleep and alleviate bruxism-related symptoms.
- Experiencing discomfort or sensitivity in teeth
- Accidental biting of the cheeks
- Receding gums
- Fatigue due to disrupted sleep patterns at night
- Facial discomfort caused by tense or aching jaw muscles
- Headaches associated with the temple area
Benefits of Using Nightguards for TMJ
Your mouth contains two temporomandibular joints (TMJ) that coordinate to enable you to open and close your mouth. Long-term teeth grinding can lead to issues with these joints, resulting in TMJ and symptoms like jaw pain, clicking or popping sounds, or a locked jaw. Other potential causes include inflammation or jaw injury. Nightguards for TMJ can assist in properly aligning your jaws and relaxing the muscles during sleep. Utilizing a nightguard can also potentially alleviate other TMJ symptoms.
- Discomfort or ache in the face
- Neck and shoulder pain
- Intense discomfort similar to an earache
- Sensation of a ringing noise in the ear
- Challenges in chewing or articulating words
- Feeling discomfort during eating or conversing
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